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Not sure, pop up on the Twitter feed every hour..
As my dad says when we're doing 16 knots in a 14ft dinghy- "whole-eee shit".
😯
Yep, apparently he's either very quick or a bit slow depending upon the conditions as the boat may have a fairly narrow performance band.Still Boss'ing it.. 65nm in the lead, and pulling 5knts more boat speed the two behind him..
Yes, good point SB. I do wonder how it will go in really light wind..what with the Doli's coming up.. There's little information about his design knocking about freely..
Will be a fascinating transition through the Doldrums, starting to look like he has enough of a gap now to balance the expected weaker light air performance.
Photos. I did see some recent drone footage taken from one boat down the fleet a bit buts it's my view these photos are all library shots.
They are well through the Doldrums. Infact they were almost not their as they passed through
I'm just about to hit the really slow part with winds down to sub 3 knots in the next 6 hours
But I've made up a few places. Think leaving the Atlantic will be the first real test of how we are doing. The lead VR boat is stuck on he coast of Africa North me.
I'm keeping an eye on your position there Ampthill ..... looks decent. I'm struggling along with just 5km wind right now but I think I may start pulling out the other side in about 3-4 hours.
@sharkbait - what is your boat name? I can't find you under your stw name
Stapleford Flyer
😯
Ah - I got you! I'm on KAPOW... and you're about 400 miles ahead of me :/
Thanks!
jambalaya - Member
buts it's my view these photos are all library shots.
*shrugs
Well Nick in true sailing fashion the new wind has come in from behind ( 😯 ) and your route through looks great now 🙁
Is there a way of storing a list of "friends" yachts. I've found you one at a time but that is by searching. I know I'm missing something obvious
Currently doing jus over 5 knots in just under 3 knots of wind
I'm worried about what the 20:00 forecast update will bring
I have found this useful for visualising the wind. Although of course the game wind isn't exactly the same
@ampthill - you can save friends. When you select a boat (either by clicking on it or searching for it), look for the small 'head-and-shoulders' profile image at the bottom left. Click that and the boat gets added to your list of friends.
Nick
So Alex has just set the record to the Equator, beating the previous one by 1day & 4hours!!
Thanks Nickb I'll try that later
Good to be through the Doldrums
Tangy has abandonned 🙁 mast not repairable to take on the Southern Ocean.
Looking forward to getting round the Cape and a better idea of where we all stand in the race. I #think# I have more less caught up with Jambalaya and theCrouset with Amp miles off over the horizon.
Uphillcursing what is your boat called?
I've just taken a gamble. The forecast is that the winds will break up in the area we are sailing into. SO I have born away and gone for spped to try and get far enough South to hit the narrow bands of southerlys before they dissapear
Uphill my boat was called Jambaiaya Racing as Jambalaya was taken but I never left the dock as the app kept crashing - so that's not me
The videos look more foreboding, darker skies and a bit more wind 🙂
I'd be wary of beating away, starting east ends to be beneficial at this point. Although the winds may get a little lighter they're singing further north so the boat speed will stay well up (maybe faster than the wind speed).
Oh and that pic is fantastic, I'd love to be on there.
Oh my God....
Beating = bearing
Ends = seems
Singing = swinging
!
Turned that autocorrect nonsense off, still post rubbish mind 😉
Beats 3 times round the cans then back to the chartroom for a beer 😆
windmonkey is the name of the fine vessel I am steering poorly.
Beats 3 times round the cans then back to the chartroom for a beer
Ahem. 😳
I may have landed in trouble with the race committee and club commodore for not waiting to return to dry land, or end of race, or in from trapeze before opening a couple of cold ones once.
Ahem. 😳
Woohoo, bounce, bounce, bounce, weehee...
[img] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CxiMQViXEAAsvgm?format=jpg&name=large [/img]
😆
Closer to flying.
Ekranovendee?
Alex is getting the job done 130 miles ahead and better boatspeed. LeClech is nicknamed "the wolf" for hunting people down but the gap is starting to look comfortable and if Boss is indeed faster in heavier air ... 🙂
Those lead boats are sailing into a very strong well directed but narrow band of wind. Those who catch it in the real or virtual race will be I uncatchable. The record is still on.
Be I'm about to loose the 100,000 places I gained since the Canaries failing to find the high that is forming in front of us. Should have followed Footflaps advice and stayed East. I'd have hit the light winds but with less distance to sail
My only worry now for Alex is, well, he keeps his head clear and calm... 😐
Ah, I spoke too soon.
He's hit something that was submerged, broken the tip of his Starboard foil off but seems to have damaged the foil casing too. He's fine he says, the boats still cracking along all be it lower and a bit slower. Full damage assessment to come,
😐
🙁
I did suggest suggest not going west Ampthill.....
OK I turned West and admit defeat. Places lost. Light winds ahead. If I get into this I'll try the Volvo next year
The wind direction is more important than the speed most of the time with these boats.
Bad news from Alex. 🙁
Down but not out. Starboard side foil is gone but after Cape Town they should be predominently on the other tack/gybe. Slow (still 18 knots) for now and the damage will change his routing but he has a lead/cushion at least for now
http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/16315/down-but-not-out
On another note, Bens won the LVAC regatta in Japan!!
"Erm, lads..oi lads!!.. over here.. anyone seen my foil?"
[img] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CxuPTxIXcAA9_OF?format=jpg&name=large [/img]
Alex creating his own rainbows..
[img] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CxxR7Y4UUAATchl?format=jpg&name=large [/img]
Made up 40k places!! Not heading to far west worked.. for now
I've been as high as inside the top 5000.Ans as low as 160,000.
Currently sat somewhere between the 2.
Its weird. I'm loosing places to people on here but gaining hugely overall. No idea where everyone else is going.....
What is the big red line at the bottom of the map?
Edge of the world.. Don't sail off the edge
[i]>>What is the big red line at the bottom of the map?[/i]
Ice exclusion zone. Don't go below the line!
@ampthill - looks like we are on a collision course - will be very close in the morning!
Nick (Kapow)
Vincent on PRB is out - hit something/fell off a wave/something gaveway and his keel is separating from hull it seems.... 🙁
Merde !!!
Tres merde!
Becoup de la tres merdez, innit.
It really is a race of attrition...
I do wonder if a non foil boat will survive better. Certainly the skippers will....the noise and motion on the foilers must be awful for three months...
Matt PRB was an old style foiler, ie they are straight down rather than sticking out. TBH so far Riou had done a brilliant job and shown that perhaps the new foilers wouldn't have it all their own way.
In more positive news Thompson/Boss is doing a stellar job holding his position
Duuffff!
New record to the Cape, 17days 22hours...
[img] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CyCudxqXEAEmksn?format=jpg&name=large [/img]
Bosch 😉
Like a Boss has new meaning...
That mainsail ^ has a wicked shape.
Back in our race I'm currently taking a hitch down south to try and catch some big winds that seem to be on the way ..... I've lost about 12,000 places today!
And Safrans out after hitting another submerged object..
@sharkbait - I'm watching your hitch south with interest, and I see ampthill is doing the same.
I'm tempted to follow, but for now will continue on my current course - be interesting to see where we end up in a couple of days!
Nick (Kapow saling)
I'm reasonably confident as the winds theoretically going to go a bit light up on the track I was taking before. You never know what's going to happen next though!
I'm amazed that these boats don't carry spare foils. Maybe that will be the next development? I can see that the main foils maybe aren't possible to change alone, but the rudders?
Foils weigh 100kg I believe. People have changed rudders before but as they typically have "a pop up" mechanism if they hit something they don't break as often anymore. Its also another reason for having two smaller rudders one each side vs traditional one large centre one which as its under the boat is very difficult to change and can sink the boat if it fails. A spare rudder is possible to carry (rule requirement on the volvo race I believe) but spare foils infeasible (weight and they are not symetrical anyway)
Alex is back on the other tack and foiling again but his lead has dropped to 35 miles.
Have these Guys done less than 10knts yet?
Amazing.
[img] 
[/img]
Well that went pretty well..... Dropped to about 20,000th but now back to 7500th going quickly in the right direction!
Get south guys.
BPop has caught Alex, now they are (and will) match race each other until the finish..
[img] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CyNre0tXAAEM4CL?format=jpg&name=large [/img]
Not been following this, but the photos are fantastic!
It's a photogenic sport !
Sailing Anarchy did a call with Alex. Audio below or on FB
And Armel take the lead this morning..
Look at the keel ! And this maybe a fluke but he's even got both woolies flying..
[img] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CyU3p18WgAAfsmf?format=jpg&name=large [/img]
Yep, I bet Alex can't wait to get back on starboard so he can use his good foil.
Sadly I am of the view his chances are toast. Armel has overhauoed a 130 deficit and turned it into a 30 mile lead and is frequently going 2 knots faster. Unless Armel has a problem he can just sail safe and every time he is on the foiling tack/gybe Alex doesn't have he is going to step away. Josse had one problem (rudder) which cost him 75 miles and now he's 500 back as he fell into different weather
Amazing how many people turned out to see Tanguy back into Les Sables on a cold Monday afternoon (his wife is English, didnt know that, he lived in Lymington for a while I think)
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=947671372032098&id=197426247056618
Just got my first advert on the free version
Waiting for it to load
This may take the edge off things
OK I saw no advert, just a count down. I think it thinks I was using an ad blocker but I wasn't
Plenty of time still for stuff to go wrong Jamba.
JeanLC, you can almost hear him on the radio "Hello, hello.....this is JLC... calling...... a n y o n e!"
[img] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CyhEdxdXcAEPkxl?format=jpg&name=large [/img]
A French Navy ship did a rdv with Armel / BP and took some helicopter footage. Saw it on tv but should be on the sites
That is insane. I have no idea how they remain focussed for that length of time with that level of sleep
This is worth watching, I've played it 3 times. 'Kin 'ell that's arc'd up 🙂
[grump on]
Even in this edit they've cut in stock footage, watch for different headsails on BP 😐
[grump off]
Good find Jam.
The heal angle on Hugo... bloody hell... those canting keel rams must be under so much pressure..
Awesome, the way Alex just bounces around the boat whilst heeled right over... 😕
Hugo Boss looks over canvassed to me and slower than Banque Populaire, but there again rumour has that he has lost his starboard foil, or has he?
That Alex geezer with the union jack is clearly 'kin barking !
What's supposed to be wrong with his boat (in terms your gran would comprehend, please) ?